Ramen Makoto- Ya

Once Japanese noodle (ramen) shops were all the rage in Taipei but, as dining trends changed in the city, their popularity started to decrease. However, a few shops still have what it takes to please people with quality noodles and Ramen Makoto is one of them. This restaurant's owner developed a taste for the noodles while he was a professional tour guide and has since invited a Japanese noodle chain owner to Taiwan to help him develop his Taipei restaurant. Even though the place is tiny, traditional Japanese decor and wooden tables and chairs make it feel cozy and friendly. Besides their signature dish, White Ramen Soup, they serve up six different ramen dishes, including one of the trendiest flavors in Japan right now--Black Sesame Dan Dan Noodles (NT$180). The soup alone for this dish takes more than 30 hours to brew. --By Kathleen Lu, translated by Ann Lee, photos by Andy Lin

A. The Barbecued Pork Ramen with White Soup (NT$210) is brewed for a long period of time before being served. Chefs recommend accompanying the dish with an order of Half-Cooked Egg (NT$20), which will bring out the flavor even more.